Rigid pack with a hinged lid

ABSTRACT

A rigid hinged-lid packet for tobacco products appears as container ( 3 ) with an open end ( 4 ), and a lid ( 5 ) hinged to the container ( 3 ) so as to rotate between positions in which the open end ( 4 ) is open and closed, also a stiffening frame ( 15 ) projecting from the open end ( 4 ) and presenting two side pieces ( 19 ) destined to enter into contact with the insides of two respective flank faces ( 13 ) of the lid ( 5 ) when the packet is closed. To retain the lid ( 5 ) more firmly in the closed position, the inside of each flank face ( 13 ) is fashioned with a freely projecting tongue ( 52 ) bent inwards in such a manner that when the lid ( 5 ) is returned to the closed position, the tongue ( 52 ) will locate in an opening ( 55 ) afforded by a slit ( 54 ) formed in the corresponding side piece ( 19 ) of the frame ( 15 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a rigid packet with hinged lidfor tobacco products.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] In particular, the invention relates to a hinge-lid typecigarette packet of the type comprising a cupped container that presentsa front face and a rear face, mutually opposed and parallel, two flankfaces disposed mutually parallel and perpendicular to the front and rearfaces, a bottom end face perpendicular to the front, rear and flankfaces, and an open top end. The packet also comprises a lid, likewise ofcupped embodiment, hinged to the container along an edge of theaforementioned rear face that coincides with a top edge of the open end.The lid is rotatable thus about the hinge toward and away from aposition in which the open top end of the container is concealed, andpresents a front face and a rear face, mutually opposed and parallel,two flank faces mutually parallel and perpendicular to the front andrear faces, also a face disposed perpendicular to the front, rear andflank faces and constituting the top end face of the packet.

[0003] The packet also comprises a stiffening frame bent to assume a Uprofile, located internally of the container in part and disposed incontact with the inside of the front face and the flank faces of theselfsame container, which presents a breast piece, and two side piecesjoined to the breast piece along respective corner edges. Both thebreast piece and the side pieces project upward from the open top end ofthe container to engage the lid in part.

[0004] The main function of the frame in rigid packets of the typedescribed above, generally considered, is to ensure a degree ofinterference with the lid such as will reduce the likelihood of theselfsame lid being opened accidentally.

[0005] In order to maximize this interference and thus maintain thehinged lid as stably as possible in the closed position, the prior artembraces the expedient of cutting C-shaped slits in the corner edges ofthe frame, each generating a respective tab that projects toward andengages the inside of the relative flank face of the lid when the lidoccupies the closed position, thereby increasing the degree ofinterference.

[0006] This method of retaining the hinged lid in the closed positionhas been found effective enough in the case of conventional rigidpackets typified by a parallelepiped geometry with sharp longitudinalcorner edges, but has proved ineffectual in the case of packets designedfor example with rounded or bevelled longitudinal corner edges, that isto say, all those styles of packets in which the tabs generated by theC-slits are unable, by reason of the particular shape selected for thepacket, to interfere with the flank faces of the lid in such a way aswill retain it stably and correctly in the closed position.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a rigid packetwith a hinged lid that is unaffected by the aforementioned drawbacks.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The stated object is realized according to the present inventionin a rigid packet with hinged lid for tobacco products, comprising acontainer with an open end, and a lid hinged to the container androtatable thus between positions in which the open end is open andclosed, also a frame projecting from the open end and presenting atleast two side pieces destined to engage in contact with the insides ofcorresponding flank faces presented by the lid when the lid occupies theclosed position, characterized in that the inside of each flank face ofthe lid presents a freely projecting tongue, and in that each side pieceof the frame presents a slit affording an opening such as willaccommodate at least a portion of the corresponding freely projectingtongue.

[0009] The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example,with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] FIGS. 1 to 5 illustrate a rigid packet embodied in differentstyles, all according to the present invention, viewed schematically andin perspective with certain parts omitted for clarity;

[0011]FIGS. 6 and 7 are plan views of two flat diecut blanks used tofashion the packet of FIG. 4, in particular;

[0012]FIGS. 8 and 9 show an enlarged detail of the packet according tothe present invention, seen in perspective with certain parts omittedfor clarity and illustrated in two different embodiments;

[0013]FIGS. 10 and 11 show the same enlarged detail of the packetaccording to the present invention as in FIGS. 8 and 9, seen inperspective with certain parts omitted for clarity and illustrated in afurther embodiment;

[0014]FIG. 12 illustrates a further embodiment of the packet accordingto the present invention, viewed schematically and in perspective withcertain parts omitted for clarity.

[0015] With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, 1denotes a packet or carton for tobacco products, in its entirety,consisting for example in a rigid packet serving to accommodate a groupof cigarettes (not illustrated) enveloped by an inner wrapper 2 (FIG.3). Alternatively, the packet or carton 1 might serve to accommodate aplurality of packets of cigarettes.

[0016] The packet 1 comprises a container 3 of cupped embodimentpresenting an open top end 4, and a lid 5, likewise of cuppedembodiment, attached to the container 3 along a relative hinge line 6and rotatable thus between positions in which the top end 4 is openedand closed, respectively.

[0017] The container 3 presents a front face 7, a rear face 8, two flankfaces 9 and a bottom end face 10; in like manner the lid 5 presents afront face 11, a rear face 12, two flank faces 13 and a top end face 14.

[0018] The single packet 1 is furnished with a frame 15 anchored to thecontainer 3, comprising a lower portion 16 disposed internally of thecontainer 3 and a portion 17 that projects upward from the open top end4 of the selfsame container.

[0019] More exactly, the frame 15 presents a breast piece 18 disposedpartially in contact with the inside of the front face 7 of thecontainer 3, and two side pieces 19 secured partially to the inside ofthe flank faces 9 of the container 3.

[0020] The breast piece 18 of the frame 15 is delimited uppermost by anedge of U outline, establishing a cutaway directed toward the lid 5.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 6 of the drawings, 20 denotes a flat diecutblank of substantially rectangular outline that is folded by aconventional procedure to fashion a rigid packet as illustrated, by wayof example, in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0022] The blank 20 presents two longitudinal precreased bend areas 21,and a plurality of transverse crease lines denoted 22, 23, 24, 25, 26and 27 combining with the aforementioned longitudinal bend areas 21 todelineate a corresponding plurality of central panels denoted 28, 29,30, 31, 32 and 33, these in turn defining the respective front faces 7and 11, rear faces 8 and 12, and end faces 10 and 14 of the container 3and the lid 5. The transverse crease line denoted 27 constitutes a lineof separation between the endmost panel 33 and a reinforcing end fold 33a that will be bent double and flattened against the selfsame panel 33to stiffen the lid 5.

[0023] The two longitudinal bend areas 21 also establish a divisionbetween the central panels 28, 30, 31 and 33 and corresponding pairs oflateral panels denoted 34, 35, 36 and 37 respectively. Lastly, thelateral panels 35 of one pair present respective flaps 38 extendingtoward the panels denoted 34, and the lateral panels 36 of another pairpresent respective flaps 39 extending toward the panels denoted 37.

[0024] The longer lateral panels 34 and 35 are designed to overlap andconstitute the flank faces 9 of the container 3, whilst the shorterlateral panels 36 and 37 are designed to overlap and constitute theflank faces 13 of the lid 5. More precisely, the panels 34 of one longerpair are placed over the panels 35 of the other longer pair and therelative flaps 38 serve to join these same panels 35 to the panel 29constituting the bottom end face 10 of the container 3; likewise, thepanels 37 of one shorter pair are placed over the panels 36 of the othershorter pair and the relative flaps 39 serve to join these panels 36 tothe panel 32 constituting the top end face 14 of the lid 5. Accordingly,the pair of panels denoted will be innermost on the flank faces 9 of thecontainer 3, and the pair of panels denoted 36 will be innermost on theflank faces 13 of the lid 5.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 7 of the drawings, 40 denotes a flat diecutblank from which the frame 15 of the packet 1 is folded. The blank 40presents a central panel 41 establishing the breast piece 18 of theframe 15, and two lateral panels 42 establishing the side pieces 19. Thetwo lateral panels 42 are joined to the central panel 41 along tworespective longitudinal precreased bend areas 43.

[0026] It will be seen that in the particular example of FIGS. 6 and 7,illustrating blanks 20 and 40 from which to fashion the packet of FIGS.3 and 4, the aforementioned bend areas 21 and 43 consist in a pluralityof longitudinal crease lines, whereas in the case of the packetsillustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the corresponding areas 21 and 43 ofthe relative blanks (not illustrated) will appear each as a singlelongitudinal bend line in the case of the packet 1 in FIG. 1 as a pairof longitudinal bend lines in the case of the packet 1 in FIG. 2, and asa plurality of longitudinal crease lines in the case of the packet 1 inFIG. 5.

[0027] The packets fashioned by folding the respective flat blanks areall substantially parallelepiped in appearance, presenting longitudinalcorner edges denoted 44 which in the case of FIG. 1 appear as sharpedges 45, in the case of FIG. 2 as bevelled edges 46, and in the case ofFIGS. 3 and 4 as rounded edges 47, whilst in the case of FIG. 5,finally, each of the longitudinal corner edges 44 appears as a band 48of curved transverse profile, disposed with the concave face directedinwards, interconnecting a central part 49 of the front faces 7 and 11and the rear faces 8 and 12 of the container 3 and the lid 5 with theflank faces 9 and 13 of the container 3 and the lid 5, which are joinedalong corresponding sharp corner edges 50.

[0028] As illustrated in FIG. 6, each of the lateral panels denoted 36presents a larger portion 51 adjoining the relative longitudinal bendarea 21 and a smaller outer portion creating a tongue 52, rendereddistinct from the larger portion 51 by a crease line 53 that extendsacross the panel 36. When the packet 1 is erected by folding the blank,the outside face of each larger portion 51 will be breasted in contactwith the inside face of the relative overlapping panel 37 whilst therelative tongue 52 remains free to rotate about the crease the lid 5, asillustrated to advantage in FIG. 8. Each of the two lateral panels 42constituting the side pieces 19 of the frame 15 presents a slit 54disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the packetand fashioned as a letter “C” in such a way as to create an opening 55that will admit at least a portion of the corresponding tongue 52 whenthe lid 5 is closed.

[0029] More exactly, the slit 54 generates a tab 56 that will projectoutwards from the side piece 19 when the packet is formed and remainpositioned thus, as discernible in FIGS. 1 to 5 and in FIGS. 8, 9 and12, with the free edge directed toward the rear face 12 of the lid 5.

[0030] To ensure that the tongue 52 can locate without difficulty in therelative opening 55, the smaller portion of the panel 36 is shaped so asto present at least one cusp. Whenever the lid 5 is closed, moreover,the two side pieces 19 of the frame 15 will engage and remain firmly incontact with the insides of the corresponding flank faces 13 of the lid5, with the result that the tabs 56 are forced back toward the sidepieces 19 of the frame 15, serving thus as elements by which therespective tongues 52 are compressed and held in place when slotted intothe relative openings 55. The effect of this compression, which will beat its greatest when the lid 5 is fully closed, is to pinch and grip theportion of the tongue 52 inserted through the opening 55 and thus retainthe lid correctly in the closed position.

[0031] In the example of FIG. 9, the tongue 52 is bent toward the insideof the lid 5 along a plastically deformed area denoted 57 and made thusto occupy a plane substantially parallel to that occupied by the flankface 13.

[0032] In the examples of FIGS. 10 and 11, the slit 54 extends in adirection substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis A of thepacket 1 and appears essentially rectilinear. Also, each side piece 19of the frame 15 presents a deformed portion 58 that is located adjacentto the slit 54 and shaped in such a way as will cause the edges of theselfsame slit to spread apart.

[0033] Lastly, FIG. 12 illustrates a rigid packet 1 presenting aprismatic shape of triangular section, to which the description of thetongue 52 and the slit 54 relating to the packets 1 of FIGS. 1 to 5 issimilarly applicable in every respect.

1) A rigid packet with a hinged lid, for tobacco products, comprising acontainer (3) with an open end (4), and a lid (5) hinged to thecontainer (3) and rotatable thus between positions in which the open end(4) is open and closed, also a frame (15) projecting from the open end(4) and presenting at least two side pieces (19) destined to engage incontact with the insides of corresponding flank faces (13) presented bythe lid (5) when the lid occupies the closed position, characterized inthat the inside of each flank face (13) of the lid (5) presents a freelyprojecting tongue (52), and in that each side piece (19) of the frame(15) presents a slit (54) affording an opening (55) such as willaccommodate at least a portion of the corresponding freely projectingtongue (52). 2) A packet as in claim 1, wherein the tongue (52) isdirected toward the inside of the lid (5). 3) A packet as in claim 1 or2, wherein each slit (54) combines with the inside of the flank face(13) of the lid (5), when the lid is returned to the closed position, tocreate means by which the portion of the freely projecting tongue (52)is compressed and retained. 4) A packet as in claims 1 to 3, wherein theslit (54) extends in a direction substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis (A) of the packet (1). 5) A packet as in claim 4,wherein the slit (54) presents a C-shaped outline such as will generatea tab (56) projecting outward from the frame (15) and directed toward arear face (12) of the packet (1). 6) A packet as in claims 1 to 3,wherein the slit (54) extends in a direction substantially transverse tothe longitudinal axis (A) of the packet (1). 7) A packet as in claim 6,wherein the slit (54) is substantially rectilinear and the side piece(19) of the frame (15) presents a deformed portion (58) coinciding withthe slit (54) in such a way that the edges of the slit are made tospread apart. 8) A packet as in claims 1 to 7, wherein the freelyprojecting tongue (52) coincides with the endmost portion of an internalpanel (36) presented by the flank face (13) of the lid (5). 9) A packetas in claim 8, wherein the tongue (52) is bent toward the inside of thelid (5) along a crease line (53) generated on the panel (36). 10) Apacket as in claim 8, wherein the tongue (52) is bent toward the insideof the lid (5) along a plastically deformed area (57) of the panel (36).11) A packet as in claims 1 to 10, wherein the tongue (52) is shaped insuch a way as to present at least one cusp such as will favour theinsertion of the selfsame tongue (52) into the opening (55) afforded bythe slit (54). 12) A packet as in claims 1 to 11, presenting bevelledlongitudinal corner edges (44, 46). 13) A packet as in claims 1 to 11,presenting rounded longitudinal corner edges (44, 47). 14) A packet asin claims 1 to 11, wherein each of the longitudinal corner edges (44)presents a band (48) of curved transverse profile disposed with theconcave face directed inwards, by way of which a central part (49) ofone main face (7, 11; 8, 12) of the packet (1) is connected to anadjoining flank face (9, 13) along a sharp corner edge (50). 15) Apacket as in claims 1 to 14, appearing substantially parallelepiped inshape with four longitudinal corner edges (44) delimiting four sidefaces (7, 11; 8, 12; 9, 13) arranged in two mutually parallel pairs, andtwo end faces (10, 14) disposed mutually parallel and perpendicular tothe side faces (7, 11; 8, 12; 9, 13). 16) A packet as in claims 1 to 14,appearing prismatic in shape and substantially triangular in section.17) A packet as in claims 1 to 16, fashioned from a flat diecut blank(20, 40) of cardboard or similar material.